HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/07/1995, 5 - OPEN SPACE FINANCING TASK FORCE �IIIII�IRIIIu�IIIIIIIiI�iN�Ii� "! f MEETING DATE:
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPOR ITEM NUMBE
FROM: John Dunn, CAO and Ken Hampian, Assistant CAO y
SUBJECT: OPEN SPACE FINANCING TASK FORCE
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
1. Establish categories of representation for the formation of an open space financing task
force; and
2. Direct staff to solicit nominations from these various categories for subsequent
consideration and appointment by the City Council.
DISCUSSION:
On September 12, 1995, the City Council completed its' review of Saving Special Places, A
Study of Open Space Values in the San Luis Obispo Greenbelt. This study was prepared by the
Land Conservancy, under the direction of Conservancy director, Ray Belknap. Since that time,
Mr. Belknap has been engaged in discussions with property owners, and staff has been kept
apprised regarding status. Discussions will continue until such time that it is appropriate to
further review a specific acquisition or acquisitions with the City Council.
This current effort would utilize existing money, $1.4 million. For this acquisition program to
continue into the future, it is necessary to develop a continuing, sustainable source of funding.
We have previously agreed that the long-term financial mechanism should involve contributions
from all sectors of the community and that it must not be perceived as unfairly singling out one
sector of the community. We have also agreed that it is desirable to have broad-based citizen
representation in order to develop a comprehensive and fair program.
Therefore, it is important to begin the process of forming a task force which shall advise the City
Council on the best strategy for the long-term financing of open space. The goal, although
ambitious, is to place any strategy requiring voter approval on the November 1996 ballot. In
determining potential categories of representation on such a committee, staff has reviewed the
composition of the earlier Open Space Element Advisory Committee (Attachment 1) and also
those groups involved in the Open Space Financing Forum held in July, 1994 (Attachment 2).
Staff also considered that the financine of open space is to be the core focus of the task force,
rather than the setting of priorities or re-evaluation of the open space element itself.
Staff s suggestions are provided in the spirit of providing broad-based representation; however,
the City Council may wish to modify the structure as it deems necessary. It is important that
groups nominate and the City Council appoint people who support an active open space program,
and who can work productively in a collective process involving diverse representation. The
proposed categories of representation are outlined below:
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city of San luiS OBISPO
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
One Member From Each of the Following:
-Planning Commission
-Parks and Recreation Commission
Five Members Representing Environmental Organizations, such as:
- Native Plant Society
- Sierra Club
- ECOSLO
- Audubon Society
- Nature Conservancy
- Bicycle Club
- Archeological Society
- Urban Creeks Council
- Land Conservancy
- Citizens Planning Alliance
- Central Coast Salmon Enhancement
Five Members Representing the Business Community, such as:
- Business Improvement Association
- Chamber of Commerce
- Building Industry Association of the Central Coast
- Association of Manufacturers and Distributors
- SLO Board of Realtors
- SLO Property Owners Association
- Farm Bureau
Five Members Representing Nei&borhood/other Organizations, such as:
- Residents for Quality Neighborhoods
- Old Town Neighborhood
- Prefumo Canyon Neighborhood
- Foothill Neighborhood Association
- San Luis Drive Neighborhood
- Laguna Lake Neighborhood
- Obispo Beautiful Association
- League of Women Voters
- Historical Society
- Cal Poly ASI
- Senior Citizens
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
If Council follows the above suggestion, the task force would have a total membership of 17 --
large enough to be adequately representative, but sufficiently small to hopefully be effective as
a "shirt sleeve" working group. If Council would prefer a smaller number task force, an
alternative would be to reduce community group category representation from five to three each,
resulting in a total task force of 11.
Once the City Council agrees on task force size and structure, staff will contact the various
groups and request that nominations be submitted by the end of November. Staff will then
agendize the formal appointment of the task force for a meeting during the month of December.
The staff report will include a recommended task force schedule, based on the goal of a
November 1996 ballot measure, and will have previously developed a list of potential funding
sources in order to give the committee a "running head start" in approaching this task.
PROPOSED CONBII=E "MISSION"
The Committee is more likely to be successful in developing a recommended funding program
if its purpose and goals are clearly established by the Council before the Committee begins its
work The following Committee "mission statement" is proposed for Council consideration in
providing the Committee with policy direction:
Committee Purpose
The purpose of the Committee is to recommend to the Council the best strategy for long-term
financing of open space purchases.
Goals
In developing this strategy, the Committee should achieve the following goals:
■ Broad funding base. Ensure that the recommended funding program is a broad-based .
one, and that no one sector of the community is singled-out in funding this program.
■ Revenue requirements. Identify the amount of new revenue that should be generated
annually for this purpose, and ensure that the proposed funding program is reasonably
capable of generating this amount.
(This goal recognizes that there are many other strategies for preserving open space
besides direct purchase of property by the City, and that purchase of open space, given
the City's limited fiscal resources, should only be used as a preservation strategy when
all other alternatives are unlikely to achieve the City's preservation goals. The proposed
financing program should be scoped with this in mind).
■ Clear, simple program. Place a higher priority on those funding sources that can be most
clearly communicated to the public and easily administered by the City. In short, a
simple funding program is preferable to a complicated one.
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
■ Fiscal independence. Focus on funding sources that are within the City's existing
authority to implement without approval by other governmental agencies. This goal
recognizes that the funding program must be "doable", and this means that the City must
be able to independently control its future to the maximum extent possible.
■ Timely. Complete the work by [whenever] so that any proposed strategy that requires
voter approval (or where an advisory vote would be desirable) can be placed on the
November 1996 ballot.
■ Eventual Support of the Ballot Measure. Committee members should be willing to
actively support any future ballot measure that they recommend, independent of the City.
This is because the City cannot actively campaign, pursuant to state law.
STAFFING AND FINANCIAL UAPACT
The Task Force will be staffed principally by the new Natural Resources Manager with the
assistance of a number of other staff members, including the CAO, ACAO, Finance Director
Community Development Director, Long-Range Planning Manager, Parks and Recreation
Director, and Public Works Director. The CAO's office will assume the responsibility for
ensuring that the committee has adequate and the proper type of staff support throughout the
process. Land Conservancy staff will also be involved in a support role. The City Attorney will
become involved relative to the consideration of a ballot measure (content, schedule, form, etc).
If the appointments are made in December, because of the holidays the task force will most
likely not begin its work until January, when the Natural Resource Manager is expected to begin
work. While the Natural Resource Manager will have lead responsibility for keeping the task
force process on track, he or she will be given a very high level of support throughout by those
staff members identified above. This shall be especially true early on, as the new employee
becomes more fully oriented to the open space issue, the community, and the overall job.
Costs of the committee will primarily involve staff time as well as some level of supplies,
materials, duplication, and printing. Some travel costs might also be incurred should, for
example, the task force wish to invite someone from an existing open space district to discuss
options with the group. Funds for such costs have been anticipated, and were budgeted by
Council in the Natural Resources Program. If occasional specialized services are needed at some
point during the process (e.g. a financial advisor), funds are also available for these purposes in
the existing budget.
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
CONCLUSION:
City staff strongly supports the goal of long-teen sustainable open space preservation, which will.
only become possible with the development of.continuing financial support. We look forward
to the Council's creation of the Open Space Financing Task Force and to the opportunity to
provide quality assistance to the deliberations of the Task Force.
ATTACHMENTS;
1. Open Space Element Categories
2. Open Space Financing Forum Participants
.1
EXHIBIT 1
LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS/GROUPS
AND PARTICIPATION LEVEL
2 Members From:
- Planning Commission
t Member From:
-Park and Recreation Commission
1 Member From:
-Architectural Review Commission
3 Members (Maximum of one person from anv one neicthborhoodl:
-Old Town Neighborhood
-Prefumo Canyon Neighborhood
-San Luis Drive Neighborhood
-Residents For Quality Neighborhoods
-Laguna Lake Neighborhood
2 Maior Property Owners From Outside the City:
-Madonna
-long
- Rossi
-Devaul
-Miossi
- French
-Bunnell
-Mainini
-Truochio
2 Members From-Business:
-BIA
-Chamber of Commerce
4 To 6 Members From Community Groups/Organizations (Maximum of t person from anv one organization):
-Obispo Beautiful Association
-Native Plant Society
-Sierra Club
-Audubon Society
-Land Conservancy
-Nature Conservancy
-Citizens Planning Alliance
-League of Women Voters
-Historical Society
-Cal Poly
-Cuesta College
-Bicycle Club
-Archaeological Society
-Farm Bureau
-Urban Creeks Council
-Fish and Game
-County Government (Planning,Area Coordinating Council,or Parks and Recreation)
-Senior Citizens
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Attachment g
Open Space Financing Forum
PROSPECTIVE NOTICE RECIPIENTS
City Advisory Bodies
Business Improvement Association.
Environmental Quality Task Force
Parks and Recreation Commission
Planning Commission
Community Groups
Building Industry Association of the Central Coast
Business Coalition
Chamber of Commerce of San Luis Obispo
Citizens Planning Alliance
ECOSLO -
Foothills Neighborhood Association
Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County
League of Women Voters
Residents for Quality Neighborhoods
San Luis Drive Neighbors
San Luis Obispo Association of Manufacturers and Distributors
San Luis Obispo Board of Realtors Association -
San Luis Obispo Property Owners Association
Sierra Club
Other identified groups desiring a presentation/discussion
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